Controlling size of printed impressions on cylindrical surfaces



Oct. 18, 1938. e. A. GOESSLING CONTROLLING SIZE OF PRINTED IMPRESSIONS ON CYLINDRLCAL SURFACES Filed April 9, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet .1

Oct. 18, 1938. A GQESSUNG" 2,133,920

CONTROLLING SIZE OF PRINTED IMPRESSIONS ON CYLINDRLCAL SURFACES Filed April 9, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v VENTO R: W

Oct. 1933- G. A. GOESSLING CONTROLLING SIZE OF PRINTED IMPRESSIONS ON CYLINDRICAL SURFACES Filed April 9, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 l 47' TOENQKS.

Oct. 18, 1938. G, A, E N 2,133,920

CONTROLLING SIZE OF PRINTED IMPRESSIONS ON CYLINDRICAL SURFACES Filed April 9, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 2:: 4 (mu 1 03K vmugg 1/15 7- 7'0 PM: vs

Oct. 18, 1938. e. A.- GOESSLING CONTROLLING SIZE OF RINTED IMPRESSIONS ON CYLINDRlCAL SURFACES 5 Shets-Sheet 5 Filed April 9, 1936 //Vl/ENTOE.'

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Patented Oct. 18, 1938 PATENT oFFIcE CONTROLLING SIZE OF PRINTED IMPRES- SIONS N CYLINDRIOAL SURFACES Gerald A. Goessling, St. Louis, Mo.

Application April 9,

6 Claims.

My invention relates to the printing on tubular articles of celluloid and the like and is particularly concerned with the printing in the nature of an all-over design, that is, with covering substantially the entire surface of Celluloid and like tubing with printing. Theinvention consists principally in rotating the work independently of the usual friction drive associated with the printing plate, whereby the printing can be positively controlled. It also consists in the printing press and in the parts and combinations of parts and in the process hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of a press for printing tubular Celluloid articles embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, looking from theleft of ;Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a frontend elevation,

Fig. 4 .is a partial plan view, with carriage moved rearwardly over first printing plate,

Figs. .5 to 11, inclusive, are sectional views on the lines 55, 6-6, 1-1, 8-8, 9-9, l0l0 and l l-l i, respectively, of Fig. 1,

-Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic View showing aplurality of printed tubes on a mandrel ready for spraying to protect the printing,

Fig. 13 is a sectional view-of the coated printed tube,

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic plan view of a printing plate,

Figs. 15, 16 and 1'7 are sectional views of tubes of three different sizes as printed by said plate;

Figs. 18, 19 and 20 are developmental views of .35 the printed-surfaces of the tubes of .Figs. :15, 16

and 17, respectively and Fig. 21 is a diagrammatic view of a rotary type press having the work mounted in accordance with my invention.

Mounted on a base i are longitudinally extending spaced rails 2 which have outwardly projecting guide ribs 3 near their tops that fit in-guide grooves 4 formed near the bottoms'of the inner faces 5 of slide frame members 6 which are con- ,45 nected together by means of suitable transverse frame members i. The frame members 6 are reciprocable along the rails 2, the drawings illustrating diagrammatically a pair of links 8 pivotally secured to one end of one of each of said frame members 6 and having pivotallysecured thereto levers 9 that areconnected to any suitable device for causing reciprocatory motion.

Vertically disposed bolts I0 have plates ll secured to their upper ends and their lower ends extend through openings in the bed -.I, securing 1936, Serial No. 73,429

nuts I 2 being mounted on the projecting lower ends of said bolts Ill. Springs l3 surrounding said bolts and engaging the bottoms of said supporting plates II hold them yieldably in uppermost position. Said supporting plates II have :5 printing plates 14 mounted thereon and secured thereto, as by some suitable adhesive. By means of the nuts 12, it is possible to vary the height of the printing plates l4.

Mounted in guide slots I5 in said longitudinal 1.0 frame members 6 are bearing blocks l6 inwhich. are rotatably mounted the ends of shafts I! on each of which is mounted an inking roller, :I8, said rollers preferably being grouped in pairs. Said shafts I! are provided with rollers I9 that 15 run on track surfaces on the top of said rails .2. The cam rollers [9 of the shafts ll of a pair will run on a tracksurface different from those of the other rollers. The levels of these tracks 20 are arranged so that each inking roller l8'or pair 20 of rollers 18 engages only one of the printing plates l4, being raised above the level of the other printing plates. By this arrangement, each inking roller or pair of inking rollers applies ink to only one of the plates. Suitable inking disks 2| ,25 are provided, only one being shown in the draw- .ings, and track means 22 are likewiseprovided so that each roller or pair of rollers engages only the disk having a single color of ink thereon.

Supported above the bed I is a longitudinally .30 extendingrack .23 provided with means for adjusting its level. The means shown in the drawings include bolts 24 whose ends project into recesses 25 in the rack, the level of the rack being adjustable by means of nuts 26 on said'bolts sup- .35 porting the bottom of the rack-member.

Rotatably mounted in the longitudinal frame members 6 is a shaft 21 on one end of whichis mounted a pinion 28 whose teethemesh with the teeth of said rack 23. As shown -in-.the drawings, .40 one longitudinal frame member =6.is provided with .a recess 29 in whichsaid-pinion 28 fits. Mounted .on the shaft 21 adjacent to the inner faces ofthe rails are :friction bushings .30 which are nor zmally rotatable with the shaft, but in which the .4 shaft may rotate if the bushingsare held against rotation. a

.Mcunted-on one of said bushings 30 is a bracket arm 31 that has a split hub portion. 32 with projecting lugs 33, in which is mounted a screw 34 .50 :for drawing the hub parts tight so as to hold the bracket arm 3| in place. -Rotatabl-y mounted on a stub shaft 35 securedrto said arm 3! isan idler gear 36 that meshes witha-gear 37 thatis secured-to theshaft Zl'by means of a set screw of the work, and facilitating invention and removal of the work. An arm 41 secured to the side frame member as by a screw 48 rests on top of the second bracket arm 43 and limits the upward movement thereof. A pin 49 projecting from the tip of said arm engages a stop plate 50 secured to one of the transverse frame members to limit the downward movement of said arm,

A similar arm 41a secured to the other side frame member by screws 48a carries an adjustable pin which limits upward movement of arm 3 I. These stops 4? and 41b are adjustable to accommodate work of different lengths.

Secured to the bed I of the press as by screws 5| fitting in notches 52 is an angle member 53 whose vertical web 54 is disposed alongside the printing plates M. -The position of the vertical web 54 with respect to the printing plates may be varied by means of said notches 52.

' As the parts move rearwardly, toward the top of the sheet in Fig. 1, the inking rollers l8 will ink the respective printing plates 14, each roller H3 or pair of rollers preferably being given a different color and inking only one of the plates. This movement of the frame causes the shaft 21 to rotate and the bracket arm 43 is swung downwardly until the pin 49 engaging the plate 50 stops the downward movement of said bracket arm 43 and the downward movement of the other bracket arm 3| is stopped by one end of the tubu 'lar work 42 engaging the top of the web 54. At the same time, the work spindle is rotated by the gearing.

The length of the printing plate 14 in the direction of travel of the work is normally the same as the outer circumference of the tube 42, so that the entire periphery is printed when the work passes over the plate. The distance between the printing plates I4 will likewise be an exact multiple of the distance covered by a single rotation of the work, preferably being just one rotation and the work then passes over the second plate, where it is printed with the second color or with different printing matter which will obviously be in exact register with the matter printed by the first plate. The third plate is similarly spaced with respect to the second plate, so as to print the third material in exact register with the matter printed by the first and'second plates.

To compensate for any variations in tube size or plate size and to control the size of the printed impression, the tubular work is positively driven so that its rotary movement is independent of the frictional engagement between its surface and the printing plate or the guide for the printing plate. Thus, the tubular work makes a complete revolution in a given longitudinal travel of the carriage, regardless of variations in the size of the work itself. The drive is arranged so that the work holder and hence the tubular work will make a complete revolution as the work travels completely across the printing plate and will make a complete revolution or multiple thereof 'in passing from printing plate to printing plate.

If a larger tube is printed than one whose periphery is exactly the same as the lengh of the printing plate, the printed impression will be correspondingly enlarged or stretched circumferentially of the work and if a smaller tube is printed, the printed impression will be condensed circumferentially of the work. Thus a single plate can be used to print larger or smaller tubes and the printed matter will always occupy the same portion of the circumference of the work regardless of the size of the work. That is, if the plate is arranged to print an over-all design on a tube, the pattern will accurately cover tubes of various sizes without any gap and without any overlap in the printing; and if the printing is arranged to cover any portion, say one-half, of

the circumference of the work, it will cover that much of the circumferential portion of the work, regardless of variations in work size. Likewise, a single plate can be made to produce impressions larger-or smaller than those appearing on its surface. I v

The importance of this control of the size of the printed impression is obviously increased by the fact that a given variation in tube diameter is multiplied by 3.1416 in the cylindrical surface, so that even a slightvariation in tube diameter will create a serious discrepancy between the cylindrical surface and the plate, thus causing either. a gap or an overlap in the case of allover printing. Figs. 14 to 17 illustrate diagrammatically the control of the size of printed impressions that is obtainable by positive rotation of-the tubular work. Fig. 14 is a plan view of a plate having a dimension a in the direction of travel of the work thereover. In Fig. 15 is shown a sectional view of a tube 42 having a circumference exactly equal to a, and in Fig. 18 a developmental view of the printed surface of such tube, which is an exact replica of the plate.

In Fig. 16 is shown a smaller tube 422) having a circumference b smaller than the distance a and the developed printed surface thereof shown in Fig. 23 has the printed matter compressed or shortened in the direction of travel that is circumferentially of the tube.

In Fig. .17 is shown a larger tube 420 having a circumference c larger than the distance a; and the developed printed surface thereof shown in Fig. 24 has the printed matter elongated in the direction of travel, that is circumferentially of the tube. These views indicate the possibility,

not merely of varying the size of printed impressions to compensate for minor variations in work size but also of printing cylindrical bodies of widely different sizes from a single plate.

The printed tube is adapted for polygonal shaping in accordance with my Patent No.

2,016,425 by applying to the tube a protective coating 56 for printing 55, as shown in Fig. 13, i

and then shaping the tube. This shaping is especially advantageous in the case of tubes that are larger than the plate, since the slight circumferential distortion of the printing operation is offset or corrected by the slight longitudinal distortion of the shaping operation.

When a plate of a different size is used, it becomes necessary to change the drive so as to cause the work to have the necessary rate of rotation for that particular plate.

It is advisable to use printed plates made of rubber or other somewhat yieldable material. This avoids marring the surface of the work and minimizes any tendency to blur as the result of slippage between the work and the printing plate.

The invention is equally applicable to rotary presses having arcuate printing plates on a rotary roll 9|. In such presses, the work has its own positive rotating means, independent of the means for rotating the printing roll 9|. Such a press is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 21.

The above described invention has numerous advantages. The positive rotation of the work independent of the printing plate makes it pos sible to compensate for variations in printing plate size and in tube size and to produce an all-over pattern from a given plate on tubes of widely different sizes without gap or overlap in the printed impression. Great economy is created by the fact that a single plate can be made to produce printed impressions of many different sizes, some larger and some smaller than the plate itself. Thus, in the case of printed matter not intended to cover the entire periphery of a tube, the height of the printed matter may be varied by changing the gearing so as to change the rotation of the work relative to the printing plate. The positive control of the rotation of the work insures the accurate matching of the im pressions made by successive plates and makes color printing on cylindrical articles feasible. Obviously, numerous changes may be made without departing from the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the precise construction shown.

What I claim is:

1. A printing press for cylindrical articles comprising a rack, a longitudinally movable frame, a shaft rotatable in said frame, a gear fixed on said shaft meshing with said rack whereby said shaft is rotated as said frame moves, a work support having rotatable centers for supporting the work, a second gear on said shaft, an idler pinion meshing therewith, a gear on one of said centers meshing with said pinion, and 'a printing plate arranged to be engaged by the rotating work moving thereover.

2. A printing press for cylindrical articles comprising a rack, a longitudinally movable frame, a shaft rotatable in said frame, a gear fixed on said shaft meshing with said rack whereby said shaft is rotated as said frame moves, spaced friction bushings on said shaft, an arm projecting from. each bushing, each of said arms having mounted thereon a rotatable center for supporting an end of the work, a second gear fixed on said shaft, an idler pinion supported on one of said arms and meshing therewith, a gear on one of said centers meshing with said idler pinion, and a printing plate arranged to be engaged by the rotating work moving thereover.

3. A printing press for cylindrical articles comprising a rack, a longitudinally movable frame, a shaft rotatable in said frame, a gear fixed on said shaft meshing with said rack whereby said shaft is rotated as said frame moves, spaced friction bushings on said shaft, an arm projecting from each bushing, each of said arms having mounted thereon a rotatable center for supporting one end of the work, a second gear fixed on said shaft, an idler pinion supported on one of said arms and meshing therewith, a gear on one of said centers meshing with said idler pinion, a trackarranged to be engaged by the work adjacent to the driven center and a stop for limiting the movement of the arm supporting the other center, and a printing plate arranged to be engaged by the rotating work moving thereover.

4. A printing press for cylindrical articles comprising a rack, a longitudinally movable frame, a shaft rotatable in said frame, a gear fixed on said shaft meshing with said rack whereby said shaft is rotated as said frame moves, a Work support having rotatable centers for supporting the work, a second gear on said shaft, an idler pinion meshing therewith, a gear on one of. said centers meshing with said pinion, and a plurality of printing plates arranged in the path of travel of the rotating work to be engaged thereby, the space between plates being an exact multiple of the distance covered by a single rotation of the work, whereby the impressions of the several plates register. 7

5. A press for printing cylindrical articles which comprises a printing plate, a rotatable work support, means for moving said work support bodily to carry the rotating work across said plate, and means for positively rotating said work support to cause it to make one complete revolution during its bodily movement across said plate regardless of ordinary variations in'the size of the work, said positive work rotating means involving slippage as between said work and said plate, whereby the size of the imprinted pattern 7 circumferentially of the work varies in accordance with the size of said work and'produces an overall pattern free from gaps and overlaps.

6. A press for printing cylindrical articles which comprises a printing plate, a rotatable work support, means for moving said work support bodily to carry the rotating work across said plate, and means forpositively rotating said work support to cause it to make one complete revolution during its bodily movement across said plate regardless of ordinary variations in the size of the work, said positive work rotating means involving slippage as between said work and said plate, whereby the size of the imprinted pattern circumferentially of the work varies in accordance'with the sizeof said work and produces an overall pattern free from gaps and overlaps, said work rotating means including a movable gear whereby therotation of said work may be varied in the event of an extreme variation in the size thereof and changing the size of said removable gear;

GERALD 1A. GoEssLING. 

